But . . . but I've been told that being a master is a bad thing, sir. Like my old master, Master Fire-eater. How he used to own me and my siblings and he could do anything to us he wanted because we belonged to him, like any other property...

Ah . . . n-no, sir. I guess not. I guess I'm free now, so long as I never go back to Melior and don't happen to run into Master somewhere else somehow, though I'm not sure I'd be considered a gentleman properly. Heh, and certainly not "of age"! [okay, now he's moved to "amused"] Technically, I suppose I'd still be considered a child by flesh people's standards. Master carved me and my siblings only about four or five years ago.

But anyway . . . Mr. Quixote, are you on the ship? New? I don't think I've seen you around before.

T-then again, I . . . I w-was gone for a . . . f-few weeks until just very recently.

I am, young Sir. The clarion call to rescue kidnapped members of your good crew reached my ears, and I could not resist that request. And it sounds as though you were one of the poor unfortunates who were held captive by that emissary of the Enchanter! Are you faring any better these days?

Ah . . . w-well, I wasn't actually kidnapped, but . . . I was on the castle ship. I saw one of our crew being kidnapped, and I stowed away on the plane. I thought maybe I could help by finding out where everyone was being taken.